A Rose For Emily

1 Pages 266 Words

“A Rose for Emily”

Generally speaking, a work of fiction moves from one set of circumstances or relationships into another. Observing this phenomenon, Francis Ferguson, Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale, developed his theory of action. For the purpose of discussion, Ferguson distinguishes three phases of the action: purpose, passion, and perception. Ferguson’s theory will be applied to William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” in an effort to elucidate its major theme.
Purpose, according to Ferguson, “is the movement of the psyche towards that which it wants.” Purpose is found in the Central character who happens to be a southern aristocrat named of Emily Grierson. In this essay Emily embodies a “fallen monument”. She was a monument of the old southern values, and felt so strongly about them that her purpose was to stop time.
In a well-structured story purpose is shared analogously by the other characters either positively or negatively. The characters who share the purpose positively represent the past in which Emily was bound. For instance Tobe her servant, he catered to all of Emily’s needs, and helped confine her psyche to the past by keeping the house impervious. Col. Satoris, and Judge Stevens also played a role which would help stop time. The Board of Alderman who accepted the Colonel's attitude toward Emily and rescinded her taxes was instrumental in Emily’s campaign against time. Sharing the purpose negatively was the narrator. From what I’ve gathered the unnamed narrator in this story is the present day town. The town is in a state of transition from the old to the new which is detrimental to Emily’s purpose....